Generally, most motorists drive vehicles with regular petrol or diesel engines, but the popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles is constantly growing. In 2023 (according to SMMT Data – April 2023) on the roads in the UK there was 760,455 BEV’s (Battery Electric Vehicles) and 490,126 PHEV’s (Plug-in-Hybrid Electric Vehicles)

At Days Rental, we offer a variety of both electric and hybrid vehicles, but which engine type is best suited to the needs of you or your business? How far can each of them travel? Which one charges the quickest? We help answer all your questions, below:

What is an Electric Vehicle (EV)?

A BEV or electric vehicle is powered by an on-board battery which needs to be charged.  Depending on the Car or Van, these batteries come in various sizes, measured in Kilowatts per Hour (kWh).

But just how far will an EV battery take you? That depends on a lot of variable factors, including:

• Batteries capacity
• Weight of the vehicle, which could also include goods in transit
• How the vehicle is driven
• Speeds vehicle is driven
• Road conditions, like country roads, city driving or motorway
• Weather – Batteries operate best in warm climates whereas cold weather will see the operating ranges decrease

How long does it take to charge an Electric Vehicle?

The speed is determined by the charger type.  All vehicles will have an on-board charger which is set for AC Charging and will be usually 7kWh or 11kWh (depending on the option when the vehicle is purchased).  AC charging will use a Type 2 to Type 2 cable which is supplied with the vehicle as standard.  Some vehicles will also have a Slow charging cable which has a typical 3-pin household plug and a Type2 plug for the car/van.  These cables will charge at around 2kW per hour, so are considered Slow.  Fast and Rapid including now Ultra-Rapid range from chargers offering 40-350kW and will use a CCS Cable.  These cables are not supplied with the Car/Van.  The cables are tethered/Hard connected to the Chargers and will use the extra two-prongs on the vehicle charger (if applicable) for High Power charging.

• Ultra & Rapid chargers – some vehicles can charge 10% to 80% (200kW+) in just 18 minutes, but generally to 80% is achieved in around 30-40 minutes.  DC/CCS
• Fast chargers – these will usually be rated from 7kWh to 22kWh and will usually take up to 10 hours depending on the remaining charge and size of battery.  AC/Type 2
• Slow/Trickle units – these are the slowest chargers as they use the properties standard 13amp 240v supply and generally charge at 2.2kW’s per hour.  13amp plug to Type 2

Where is your nearest charging point? You can find yours by clicking here >>> 

Benefits of an Electric Vehicle

The initial benefits are that the vehicle emits zero tail pipe emissions, being powered solely by electricity.  BEV’s can drive without charges (prior registering may be required) into Congestion zones and Clean Air zones.  The cost of charging varies from site to site but generally for Motorway Rapid and Ultra Rapid the prices are around £0.60-75p per kW. 

Disadvantages of an Electric Vehicle

It is hard to say or define disadvantages, but initial purchase costs are higher than conventional ICE (Internal Combustion Engines) due to the manufacturers initial research and build costs.  And actual ‘Real World’ range.  The industry measures the range a BEV can travel as a WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure), but as with any measurement these are done under controlled conditions, so a real world range will always be less.  This said, real world figures can still be at least 100 miles and upwards towards 400 miles depending on the vehicle and how it is driven.

Our range of Electric Hire Vehicles:

• Vauxhall e-Corsa 50kWh
• VW ID.3 58kWh
• Cupra Born 58kWh
• Polestar 2 69kWh
• Kia EV6 77kWh
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 72kWh
• BMW iX40 xDrive 76kWh

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>>> See our full range of hire vehicles

What is a HEV (Hybrid) or PHEV Vehicle?

The Hybrid, or HEV, FHEV is a vehicle that has no facility to plug in like a PHEV, instead it has a smaller battery which through technology such as Kinetic energy recycled back from braking is turned back to energy and helps recharge the battery.  The engine will also aid the charging as the vehicle is driven, but no loss of power will be noticed.  Vehicles that are HEV will have reduced CO² levels, but not as much as a PHEV would.  All HEV’s will have an element of driving solely on electric power, and generally will be at low speeds before the engine takes over, seamlessly.  As these batteries are small, they have a limited range in EV only.  A PHEV on the other hand has a larger dedicated battery that can offer pure electric ranges up to 50 miles, depending on the model you have.  Unlike HEV’s that rely on the engine or braking to recharge, these can be charged by external chargers in a matter of a couple of hours from a Fast charge unit, using the vehicles Type 2 cable.  PHEV’s will have a greatly reduced CO² level due to the fact they can be driven by selection on EV only.

Benefits of a Hybrid Vehicle

A HEV would be the first step towards driving a PHEV or a BEV.  It offers an insight into how changing the style of driving can actually assist the vehicle in being driven on electric whilst there is charge in the battery.  Best suited for inner city but also at home on any road and motorway.  All HEV’s are automatic, as are PHEV’s and BEV’s.

As a HEV, it is a self-charging, there is never a need to charge externally and can be driven in a similar way to a standard vehicle.  The PHEV as a step after the HEV offers a greater flexibility to drive solely on electric power.

Disadvantages of a Hybrid Vehicle

To be fair, there are probably very few disadvantages.  The HEV drives in a similar style to a standard ICE, and whilst in towns and cities you will achieve a reasonable mpg, but on the Motorway, it will be less efficient, but more like a standard vehicle that is petrol.  The PHEV though again not heavily disadvantaged, will rely on plugging into an external charger to achieve the best mpg figures.

Our range of HEV and PHEV hire vehicles:

• Toyota C-HR (HEV)
• Renault Clio HEV
• Hyundai Kona HEV
• Kia Xceed PHEV
• Peugeot 3008 PHEV
• BMW 3 Series PHEV
• BMW 5 Series PHEV
• Volvo XC90 PHEV